Un Petit Cadeau

We have some wonderful friends in the village who are never failing in their support and care during difficult times. They are a remarkable family. Mum is the most staggerly organised person I know running husband, three children and a large dog and making it look effortless! Dad is in the armed forces and travels a lot. They have basically gutted their house and redone it completely and it looks gorgeous. Anyway, before you are physically sick at these paragons (and I spoil it by telling you how much I get teased by Dad!)I wanted to show you the Christmas present that I made them. I wanted to make them something personal but useful. I settled on a cushion because:

a) It was within my sewing capabilities!
b) I could personalise it with iron on transfers

Mum of the family is of French descent (her Mum was in the French Resistance, how cool is that!) and we have shared many excellent times on French family holidays over the year. Therefore I decided to use a vintage french label found on the excellent "The Graphics Fairy" blog and use put my own message inside.

They moved to the village at the same time we did so I changed the "Maison Fondee" date on Publisher. I put their family name at the top and decided that I wanted my main message to be "Home is where the heart is..." In their case they really love their home and work so hard at getting it just perfect for their family. I have to confess that my French is school girl so I used Babelfish to make sure that I got the phrasing right. I printed the Publisher document onto transefer paper and ironed it onto some calico. I appliqued the Calico panel onto the cushion front and then put the rest of it together.

They LOVED it. I was so pleased, both with the cushion and their reaction. The only problem is topping it next year!